SB 1608 says in part: B. The State Commissioner of Health may authorize the disclosure of data contained in vital statistics records for research purposes; provided, however, such release shall be in conformity with the Privacy Standards of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. ********************** Does anyone know what the Health Insurance Protablility and Accountablilty Act of 1996 says? --- Ron Long <[email protected]> wrote: > Marti, > > What's the number of the bill? Exactly what does it > say? > > --- Frederick Dittmar <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > IMPORTANT > > > > This one needs our attention "NOW" before they > pass > > a bill that may limit > > our access to these records. > > > > Contact information for the legislature is below. > > > > Marti > > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= original message > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > > Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 07:01:55 -0500 > > From: Frederick Dittmar <[email protected]> > > Subject: [Fwd: Genealogist Alert re: Senate Bill > > 1608] > > To: [email protected] > > Reply-to: [email protected] > > > > The following was sent to all e-mail registered > OGS > > members yesterday and > > then contact was made with the Legislature both by > > phone and mail. Now > > it's your turn. > > > > One Representative said that it was to keep people > > from acquiring Social > > Security Numbers of the deceased. He was informed > > about the SSDI link on > > Rootsweb and and others plus the fact that Death > > Certificates do not have > > SSN on them. The way this "law" is written only > the > > deceased can obtain a > > copy, "disclosing information from or releasing > > any part or copy of any > > Vital Statistics Records to anyone but "the person > > who is the subject of > > the record ..." > > > > Talk with your Senator and Representative SOON - > > NOW. Let your County > > Board know what's happening. > > > > Another link to the Oklahoma House & Senant and > the > > US Representatives & > > Senators > > is: > > > <http://www.state.ok.us/?c=7&sc=80>http://www.state.ok.us/?c=7&sc=80 > > > > for addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. > > > > Thank you, Fred > > Frederick M. Dittmar > > Board Member & Genealogical Assistant > > Oklahoma Genealogical Society > > > <http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgs>http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgs > > > > > > Diggin' Deep Genealogy Research Service > > Box 2601 - Norman, Oklahoma 73070-2601 > > > <http://www.dittmar.net/fred>http://www.dittmar.net/fred > > > > Member: Association of Professional Genealogists > > > > > > Received: from iris.SERVICES.ou.edu > > Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 15:52:19 -0400 (EDT) > > From: [email protected] > > Subject: Genealogist Alert re: Senate Bill 1608 > > To: [email protected] > > > > Dear OGS members and friends, > > > > The Oklahoma legislature is about to pass into law > > something that affects > > genealogists in a very big way. Senate Bill No. > > 1608 makes several changes > > to the Statute (63 O. S. 2001) dealing with Vital > > Statistics. One part > > (Section 1-323) deletes the language that exempts > > death certificates from > > the prohibition against permitting inspection of, > > disclosing information > > from or releasing any part or copy of any Vital > > Statistics Records to > > anyone but "the person who is the subject of the > > record or in such person's > > interest unless ordered to do so by a court of > > competent > > jurisdiction". Until this bill, death > certificates > > were specifically > > exempted from that prohibition against release. > The > > deletion of that > > exemption places Oklahoma death certificates among > > the records that will no > > longer be available to researchers. > > > > If passed with the emergency declaration as > written, > > this becomes law July > > 1, 2002. The original bill was passed in the > Senate > > on March 18, > > 2002. The House added amendments relating to > other > > sections and passed it > > April 15, 2002. The House amendments are still to > > be dealt with and so it > > will be before our legislators again in > conference. > > There is also the > > Governor's signature still to come. > > > > The bill's intention is probably not to restrict > our > > access, but that may > > be the result. An immediate phone call followed > > quickly by a letter to > > your Senator and your Representative (and possibly > > the Governor) to express > > your views of the bill would be useful at this > time. > > As with all contacts > > with our elected representatives, clearly and > > respectfully stated views on > > pending legislation is usually appreciated. > Please > > make contact as quickly > > as possible as the legislature is trying to wind > > down this session > > soon. The switch board number for the Senate is > > 524-0126 and for the > > House is 521-2711. You may track the progress of > > the bill and get contact > > information at the Oklahoma Legislature website < > > > <http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/>http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/ > > > (Each > > representative has an e-mail address listed at > this > > site.) > > > > Thank you for your prompt attention to this > matter. > > Your fellow > > genealogists will be in your debt. > > > > Sincerely, > > Oklahoma Genealogical Society Board of Directors > > > > > > > > > > > ===== > > Ron Long > Ada, OK > [email protected] > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience > http://launch.yahoo.com > > > > ===== Ron Long Ada, OK [email protected] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com